Self-winding watch movement



Feb. 28, 1967 KQCHER 3,306,025

SELF-WINDING WATCH MOVEMENT Filed Oct. 19, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I veni'oi I Hans Ker/r ve Feb. 28, 1967 H. KOCHER 3,306,025

SELF WINDING WATCH MOVEMENT Filed Oct. 19, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 In [/8 n 1 a r Hans of H e r/ f I I 14H Of); (2

I Feb. 28, 1967 KQCHER 3,306,025

SELF-WINDING WATCH MOVEMENT Filed Oct. 19, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 28, 1967 H. KOCHER 3,306,025

. SELF-WINDING WATCH MOVEMENT Filed Oct. 19, 1962 ,4 Sheets-Sheet 4 2 a2 3/ 5a 57 47 46 v Invmfmw 60 H ans Koch a 5/ vlM/ /ZMA W 1.0m Lays United States Patent 3,306,025 SELF-WINDING WATCH MOVEMENT Hans Kocher, Buren an der Aare, Bern, Switzerland, assignor to Buren Watch Company S.A., Bern, Switzerland, a company limited by shares of Switzerland Filed Get. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 231,671 1 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Nov. 7, 1961, 12,907/61 4 Claims. (Cl. 58-82) This invention relates to self-winding watch movements and in particular to self-winding watch movements comprising a winding weight contained entirely within the limits of the frame of the movement, a barrel, an escapement mechanism associated with a regulating balancewheel, a first gear train operatively connecting the winding weight to the barrel, and a second gear train operatively connecting the barrel to the escapement mechanism.

A watch movement of this type is described in the US. Patent No. 3,106,818. The fact that the winding weight is entirely housed within the confines of the watch movement frame makes it possible to give the movement described in said patent, a particularly small thickness.

The object of the present invention is to provide a watch movement of the type mentioned, the thickness of which is even smaller than that of said known movement.

For this purpose, in the movement in accordance with the present invention, each of the gears of the said two gear trains is superimposed on at most of the two elements, namely weight and barrel.

The accompanying drawing shows by way of example, two embodiments of the movement in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 1 is a transparent perspective view of the first embodiment on the bridge side;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view thereof on the bridge side;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section along the line IIIIII of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section along the line IVIV of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-section along the line VV of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view on the bridge side of the second embodiment; and

FIGURE 7 is a section FIGURE 6.

The watch movement shown in FIGURES 1 to 5 comprises a base plate 1 on which the rotating elements of the watch movement are pivotally mounted. The latter comprises first of all a barrel 2 containing a main spring 2a, shown in FIGURE 3. On the arbor of the barrel 2, there are mounted two ratchet wheels 3 and 4. The upper ratchet wheel 4 is fastened on a square portion of the barrel arbor while the lower ratchet wheel 3 is idly mounted on a cylindrical portion of said arbor. A singledirection coupling device of known type makes the lower ratchet wheel 3 integral in rotation with the upper ratchet wheel 4 when the former is driven in the clockwise direction shown in FIGURE 2. This known device, not shown, comprises a movable click housed in an opening of the ratchet wheel 4 and pressed downward by an elastic plate 5 carried by the upper ratchet wheel 4. The lower ratchet wheel 3 has three holes uniformly spaced over its periphery and into which the click can penetrate when the upper ratchet wheel turns with respect to the lower ratchet wheel. The shape of the click is such that the lower ratchet wheel 3 drives the upper ratchet wheel 4 when it turns in the clockwise direction shown in FIGURE 2.

A first gear train consisting of an eccentric center wheel 6 (FIGURE 1) eccentric with respect to the movement, a third wheel 7, a fourth wheel 8, and an escape wheel 9 along the line VII-VII of connects the barrel 2 to a balance wheel 10 via a lever 11 (FIGURE 2). On the other hand, the movement described comprises a winding weight 12, which is fastened on a shaft 13 and which can move within the limits of the frame. This weight has the shape of a half-circle. It consists of a thick metal plate which has an elastic projection 14. The latter is traversed by a screw 15 engaged in weight 12. It is separated from the weight 12 by a slot 16, the inner end of which is of circular shape and is mounted on the shaft 13. This fastening arrangement is described in Swiss Patent No. 345,849. The screw 15 fastens the weight 12 to the shaft 13 by clamping. This shaft has a lower pivot 19 (FIGURE 3) which is journalled in the base plate 1 and a bearing surface 20 which extends immediately below the weight 12. The bearing surface 20 is journalled in a bearing 21 which holds the shaft 13 in a position perpendicular to the base plate 1. This bearing 21 is fastened to a thin plate member 22 fastened to the base plate 1 by two screws and guided by two studs, as shown in FIGURE 2. The shaft 13 also has mounted thereon a pinion 17 which extends between the plate member 22 and the base plate 1 and which is in engagement with a wig-wag pinion 18. The latter is disposed between the plate member 22 and the base plate 1. Its freedom of motion is limited by the pinion 17 and by two gears 23 and 24 which are part of a gear train intended to transmit the movements of the weight 12 to the lower ratchet wheel 3. The wig-wag pinion 18 can move between the base plate 1 and the plate member 22, while remaining in engagement with the pinion 17 so as to come into engagement with the intermediate wheel 23, when the weight 12 turns in clockwise direction (FIGURE 2) and with the wheel of the first reduction gear 24, when the weight turns in counter-clockwise direction. The wheel of the first reduction gear 24 and the intermediate wheel 23 are in engagement. Furthermore, the gear 24 comprises a pinion in engagement with the wheel of a second reduction gear 25 which drives the wheel 26 of a gear having a pinion 27 in engagement with the lower ratchet wheel 3. The pinion 18 and the intermediate wheel 23 constitute a reverser, the function of which is to drive gear 24 at all times in the same direction regardless of the direction of rotation of the weight 12. A pawl 28 pivoted between the plate member 22 and the base plate 1 and urged by a spring 29 engages and thereby prevents the intermediate wheel 23 from turning in counter-clockwise direction and thereby assures shifting of the wig-wag pinion 18 upon a change in direction of rotation of the weight 12. A second pawl 30 engaged in the toothing of the upper ratchet wheel 4 and urged by a spring 42 prevents the arbor of barrel 2 from rotating in counter-clockwise direction. The gear train consisting of the gears 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 and (26, 27) drives the ratchet wheel 3 in clockwise direction under the effect of the displacements of the weight 12. This ratchet wheel is then coupled to the upper ratchet wheel 4 and the main spring will be wound up.

The movement described is intended to drive indicating members which consist of a minute hand and an hour hand (not shown). The latter is mounted on an hour wheel 31 (FIGURES 1, 2 and 5) housed in a recess 70 provided in the lower face of the base plate 1. The sleeve portion of the wheel 31 is mounted on a cannon pinion 32 pivoted at the center of the movement on a stud 33 (FIGURE 5) fixed in base plate 1. As can be seen from FIGURE 5, the cannon pinion 32 and the hour wheel 31 are engaged with a minute wheel 34 which is also housed in the recess 70 of the base plate. Minute wheel 34 has a pivot 67 which is freely engaged in an opening 68. A spring 69 housed in a groove provided in the bottom of the recess 70 holds the minute wheel 34 fully engaged in the teeth of the gears 31 and 32 so as to avoid any play of the minute hand carried by the cannon pinion 32. The driving of the cannon pinion 32 and of the hour wheel 31 is effected by the wheel 34 which is in engagement with a second cannon pinion 46 mounted on the shaft of the great wheel 6.

The watch movement described comprises a usual winding and hand setting mechanism including a winding stem 35, pivoted in a radial opening 36 of the base plate 1 and a clutch pinion 43. This mechanism comprises furthermore a winding pinion 37, mounted in the customary manner on the stem 35 and driving, via a crown wheel 38, a double gear 39. This gear comprises, rigidly connected to the same shaft, a lower wheel which is in engagement with the crown wheel 38 and an upper wheel which is in engagement with a wig-wag pinion 41 (FIG- URE 2). The latter can swing between two positions in one of which it is in engagement with the upper ratchet wheel 4 while it remains idle in the other position.

The gears 39 and 41 are pivoted on a plate segment 40 which is fastened to one of the bridges of the movement in a manner which will be described in further detail below. The shaft of the gear 39 passes through an opening in plate segment 40 so that the said upper wheel extends above segment 40 and the said lower wheel below the same. As to the gear 41 it is also located above the plate segment 40 while its shaft extends in an elongated opening 71 provided in said plate. The lower part of this shaft constitutes a stop 74 (FIG. 6). One of the ends of the spring 42 rests against the stop 74 and tends to maintain the gear 41 in engagement with the ratchet wheel 4. The manual winding mechanism drives the ratchet wheel 4 but not the ratchet wheel 3. The latter, as well as the self-winding gear train, remains stationary during manual winding. When the upper ratchet wheel 4 is moved in winding direction by turning the stem 35 in the direction indicated by the arrow a (FIGURE 2), the wig-wag pinion 41 is maintained in engagement with the upper ratchet wheel 4 while when the latter is actuated by the self-winding mechanism, the pinion 41 moves against the action of the spring 42 and is idle.

When the stem 35 is in setting position, the clutch pinion 43 (FIGURE is in engagement with a first intermediate gear 44 which drives the cannon pinion 46 mounted on the shaft of the great wheel 6 via a second intermediate gear 45.

As can be seen from FIGURE 5, the gears 44 and 45 are pivoted on projections 78 and 79 of the base plate 1 which protrude from the bottom of the recesses 70. The latter therefore occupies the entire central portion of the base plate 1 and extends in the direction of the stem 35. The bottom of this recess has a perforation for the passage of the shaft of the great wheel 6. This shaft is not pivoted in the base plate 1 but in a bridge 47 which is fastened to the base plate 1 by two screws 48 (FIG- URE 2) and the position of hich is assured by two guide studs 49 adjacent thereto. This bridge covers the gears 44 and 45 as well as a part of the minute wheel 34, so as to hold said members axially in place.

In a variant, the great wheel 6 could also be pivoted directly in the base plate 1. However, the recess 70 should then extend up to and be very close to the bearing of this wheel, and it would no longer be possible to provide this bearing with a jewel.

The movement described also comprises a train bridge 50, a barrel bridge 51 and an automatic mechanism bridge 52. In the bridge 50 there are pivoted the great wheel 6, the third wheel 7, the fourth wheel 8, as well as the escape wheel 9. As can be noted from FIGURE 4, this bridge is located at the height of the upper ratchet wheel 4. The barrel 2 is pivoted in the barrel bridge 51. The latter is located, in height, between the ratchet wheels and the barrel drum. It has a portion which extends in the direction of the stem 35 and on which the plate 40 is fastened. Furthermore, this portion of the bridge 51 has, opposite the stem 35, a portion 72 which forms the pivot of the crown wheel 38. The latter is held axially in position on the bridge 51 by a screw 73.

As to the self-winding gears for the transmission of the movements of the winding weight to the ratchet wheel 3, they are pivoted between the base plate 1 and the automatic mechanism bridge 52 which extends on the level of the upper ratchet wheel 4, like the train bridge 50. All of these bridges are fastened in the customary manher to the base plate by screws and guide studs.

In order to pivot the balance wheel 10, the movement described finally comprises a cock plate 75 which bears a cock end piece 77 and above which there extends a regulator 76 coaxial to the balance wheel 10.

As can be seen from FIGURE 2, the barrel and the balance wheel as well as the assembly of the train wheels connecting the barrel to the escapement mechanism of the movement described are arranged, in plan view, on a part of the base plate which occupies approximately half of the surface of the latter.

The winding weight 12 and the self-winding gear train which transmits the movements from the oscillating weight to the ratchet wheels occupy the other half thereof. As can be seen from FIGURE 2, the only gear of the time train which extends to the center of the movement is the third wheel 7, which extends immediately above the inner face of the base plate 1, above the central recess 70. The great wheel 6 is sufficiently offset from the center of the movement so that it does not intersect the axis of the latter. This wheel extends above the drum of the barrel between the latter and the ratchet wheels at the same height as the barrel bridge 51. As to the barrel, it is located outside the area of the central recess of the base plate, in a region where the thickness of the latter is reduced to a minimum value. Since the hands of the movement described are driven by the cannon pinion 46 mounted with a frictional fit on the shaft of the great wheel via the minute wheel, there is no wheel of the time train which is pivoted at the center of the movement. The weight 12, upon turning around the shaft 13, occupies a cylindrical volume which is entirely included within the limits of the frame of the movement and which furthermore intersects the axis of the latter. This weight extends immediately above the plate member 22. It is separated from the base plate 1 only by said plate member 22 and by the pinion 17. Furthermore, it extends vertically up to substantially the upper level of the upper ratchet wheel 4. Since the lower pivot of the shaft 13 is engaged in a part of the base plate 1 whose thickness is minimum, the weight 12 may have a maximum height. In order to assure correct engagement of the wig-wag pinion 18 upon each change in direction of rotation of the weight 12 and a constant penetration of the toothing of this pinion into the toothing of the wheels with which it comes into engagement, the pinion 18 is of special construction (FIGURE 3). It is formed of a circular disc 53 on which there is forcefitted a toothed crown 54. The pinion 17, the intermediate wheel 23 and the wheel of the first reduction gear 24 are formed in the same manner so that when the wig-wag pinion 18 comes into engagement with one of these gears, the circular discs of the gears in engagement touch each other before their teeth are entirely engaged in each other. The circular disc 53 of the pinion 18 is flat in its central portion so that it can slide between the plate member 22 and the base plate 1 with a minimum of friction.

It results from the arrangement described that the place occupied vertically by the toothing of the cannon pinion 32 and by the hour wheel 31 is smaller than that which is occupied by the pinion 18 and by the plate member 22. Furthermore, since the thickness of the portion of the base plate 1 on which the weight 12 is pivoted is approximately the same as that of the bottom of the recess 70, the level of the lower face of the weight 12 is located above that of the upper face of the base plate portion forming the bottom of the said recess. The third wheel, which extends between the upper face of this base plate portion and the winding weight has accordingly sufficient room to pass between these levels without it being necessary for this purpose to decrease the height of the weight or increase the height of the movement.

As mentioned above, all the gears of the self-winding train which drive the lower ratchet wheel 3 are pivoted between the automatic mechanism bridge 52 and the base plate except for the wig-wag pinion 18. The bridge 52 extends at the same height as the train bridge 50 and the wheel 26 of the ratchet wheel driving gear extends, like the eccentric center wheel 6, between the barrel 2 and the ratchet wheels, at the same height as the barrel bridge 51.

Customarily, the entire height of the watch movement is determined by the height of the barrel and of the members which are superimposed on it. In the movement described, only the web of the thin thickness of the base plate 1 in which the barrel is pivoted, of the barrel bridge 51 and of the ratchet wheels 3, 4 are super imposed on the thickness of the barrel. The only movable members which extend in superimposition above the barrel 2 but not coaxial therewith are the eccentric center wheel 6 and the wheel 26 of the ratchet driving gear (26, 27), which extend at the same height as the barrel bridge 51 at about 120 from each other with respect to the axis of barrel 2. Now these wheels are in plan view entirely outside the field of the oscillating weight 12. Therefore, the winding weight 12 may extend higher than the barrel and reach the upper face of the movement, although the lower face of the weight 12 is located higher than the lower face of the barrel. The winding weight may accordingly occupy the maximum place in height without this resulting in any increase in the height of the movement. As a matter of fact, the parts of the movement described which are superimposed on the barrel 21 consist, with the exception of the lower ratchet wheel 3, only of the parts also necessary for a movement without self-winding weight. Since the thickness of the lower ratchet wheel 3 mounted idly on a bearing surface of the arbor 13 can be reduced to an extremely small value, the total height of the movement described is therefore practically not greater than that of a corresponding movement without self-winding mechanism. Furthermore, since the center of the movement is free, the winding weight 12 can extend in plan view beyond the central axis and thus have a maximum diameter.

Thus, which connects the barrel 2 to the balance wheel and none of the gears of the self-winding train which connects the weight 12 to the ratchet wheel 3 are superimposed both on the barrel 2 and on the weight 12, makes it possible to arrange the members of the movement described in such a fashion that they occupy a minimum of space in height, while being housed entirely within the limits of the frame. Furthermore, the winding weight 12 has, both in plan view and in height, maximum dimensions. Finally, it should be noted that the hour wheel 31 is not superimposed both on the barrel 2 and on the winding weight 12, since the contour of the barrel 2 extends in plan view'beyond the limits of the hour wheel.

In another embodiment, the movement described can also include a seconds indicating member coaxial to the hour and minute hands. Thus, in the movement shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the plate 1, the barrel 2 with its ratchet wheels 3 and 4, the balance wheel 10, the gears 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 and (26, 27) which transmit the movements of the winding weight to the ratchet wheel 3, as well as the bridges 50, 51 and 52 are identical to the corresponding parts of the first embodiment. This movement also comprises an eccentric wheel 6 which is pivoted between a bridge 47 fastened to the base plate 1 and the train bridge 50 and on the shaft of which there the fact that none of the gears of the time train is mounted with a frictional fit a cannon pinion 46 in engagement with a minute wheel 34. The eccentric center wheel 6 is in engagement with a third wheel pinion 55 which is pivoted between the base plate 1 and the train bridge 50. The shaft of this pinion 55 carries an idle sleeve 56 and a third wheel 57 rigidly connected in rotation with said shaft. Furthermore, a wheel 58 of the same diameter as the wheel 57 is force-fitted on the sleeve 56. The two wheels 57 and 58 are in engagement with a fourth wheel pinion 59 coaxial with the movement and rigidly connected with a shaft 60 which is pivoted on the one hand in an intermediate bridge 61 fastened to the bass plate 1 by a screw 62 and guide studs 63 (FIGURE 6) and on the other hand, in a perforated pipe 64 forcefitted at the center of the base plate 1. The cannon pinion 32 and the hour wheel 31 are pivoted on the lower face of the base plate 1 around the pipe 64. The idle wheel 58 is in engagement furthermore, with the pinion of the fourth wheel -8 which itself is in engagement with the escape wheel 9.

Instead of a full winding weight as in the first embodiment, the movement of FIGURES 6 and 7 comprises a weight 12 which has approximately the same shape and which is pivoted in the same manner on the shaft 13, but which has its periphery rabbeted at 66 to accommodate bridge 61. The decrease in weight of the winding Weight caused thereby in compensated for by a slight increase in its total thicknes. This increase in thickness permits a coresponding increase in the height of the barrel which therefore can contain a wider and thinner main spring of the same torque as that of the first embodiment described.

In the two movements described above, none of the wheels of the gear trains connecting the barrel to the balance wheel and the ratchet wheels to the weight is superimposed both on the barrel and on the weight. Furthermore, the eccentric center wheel is eccentric so that the imum value, responding movement without winding Weight.

What is claimed is:

1. In a self-winding Watch movement in combination, a movement frame, power means entirely enclosed within said movement frame and comprising a first element constituted by a spring motor including a barrel and a second element constituted by a displaceable winding weight arranged for moving relative to said frame under the action of acceleration imparted to said frame and winding up said spring motor, a self-winding said trains having at least a of said elements of the power means being located, in plan view, entirely outside the periphery of the other element of said power means, said barrel having a toothmg, said time train comprising a great Wheel pinion in engagement with said toothing and an eccentric center Wheel being coaxial with said eccentric center wheel pinion and offset from the center of the movement frame, said eccentric center wheel having a radius smaller than the distance between the eccentric axis of the movement frame, having a radius greater than the distance between the axis of rotation of the winding weight and the axis of the movement frame.

2. In a self-winding Watch movement according to claim 1, an hour Wheel mounted for rotation about an axis coinciding with the axis of the movement frame and 7 located, in plan view, entirely outside the periphery of the barrel.

3. In a self-winding watch movement according to claim 1, the time train comprising a fourth wheel pinion journalled in the center of the movement frame and a third wheel being in engagement withsaid fourth wheel pinion and extending, in plan view, within the space through which the winding weight travels.

4. In a self-winding watch movement, according to claim 1, the self-winding train comprising two ratchet wheels coaxial with the barrel and a gear having a pinion in engagement with one of said ratchet wheels and a wheel located on the same level as said great wheel,- the wheel of said gear of the self-winding train and the great wheel each having a part extending between the barrel and said ratchet wheels.

8 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1961 F-roidevaux et a1. 58--82 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,199,780 12/1959 France.

342,520 12/1959 Switzerland.

OTHER REFERENCES RICHARDB. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. JOSEPH P. STRIZAK, LEO SMILOW, Examiners. G. F. BAKER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A SELF-WINDING WATCH MOVEMENT IN COMBINATION, A MOVEMENT FRAME, POWER MEANS ENTIRELY ENCLOSED WITHIN SAID MOVEMENT FRAME AND COMPRISING A FIRST ELEMENT CONSTITUTED BY A SPRING MOTOR INCLUDING A BARREL AND A SECOND ELEMENT CONSTITUTED BY A DISPLACEABLE WINDING WEIGHT ARRANGED FOR MOVING RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME UNDER THE ACTION OF ACCELERATION IMPARTED TO SAID FRAME AND ADAPTED FOR WINDING UP SAID SPRING MOTOR, A SELF-WINDING TRAIN OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID WINDING WEIGHT TO SAID SPRING MOTOR FOR TRANSMITTING THE ROTARY DRIVING TORQUE OF THE WINDING WEIGHT TO THE SPRING MOTOR SO AS TO WIND UP THE SAME AND SAID TRAIN COMPRISING GEARS SUPERIMPOSED ON A PART OF SAID POWER MEANS, A TIME TRAIN DRIVEN BY THE BARREL OF SAID SPRING MOTOR AND COMPRISING GEARS SUPERIMPOSED ON A PART OF SAID POWER MEANS, EACH SAID GEAR OF 